WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — With Hurricane Melissa barreling toward Jamaica, the Jamaican community in West Palm Beach is keeping a close eye on the storm’s projected path and staying in contact with family members back home.
At Simmer Down Bar & Grill, Barrington Young was enjoying a taste of home on Saturday, but his thoughts were with his family on the island.
WATCH BELOW: Locals with family in Jamaica 'hope for the best' as Melissa approaches
"I was born there. That's my country," said Young, a West Palm Beach resident whose mother and relatives still live in Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall as a major hurricane, bringing powerful winds and heavy rain. For Young's family, that means getting ready.
"They're worried. I mean you never really know what's going to happen, [but] you know it's going to be lots of wind and rain," said Young. "Hope for the best."
Current forecasts show Melissa's path cutting through the center of Jamaica, where Young's family lives. Young said they're preparing the best they can.
"I know they have a couple of generators. They're checking those out right now, making sure those are operational, ready to go and just stocking up," he said.
Free Spirit Outreach, a West Palm Beach nonprofit, already has volunteers on the ground in Jamaica. Founder Latchmin Jaramillo said a major hurricane would have devastating effects on the families her organization serves.
"I've seen the poorest of the poorest and some of the people live on the beach — in front of the beach in some little shacks," Jaramillo said.
Both Jaramillo and Young remember Hurricane Gilbert, the last major storm to make landfall in Jamaica in 1988. The Category 3 hurricane killed dozens and caused widespread damage across the island.
"We are keeping a close connection with the team to see what we can do in the hardest hit areas," Jaramillo said.
For now, Young said all they can do is prepare and keep faith that Melissa's path will change.
"It's still the weather. They predict it many times, and it changes, so we still have to hope for that," he said.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalists to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
